Method and apparatus for transferring personnel between submerged bodies



3,452,696 ME'lfHOD 'AND APPARATUS FOR TRANSFERRING PERSONNEL BETWEEN July 1, 1969 F. E. MORELAND Sheet SUBMERGED BODIES Filed Sept. 5, 1967 INVENTOR- FLOYD E. MORELAND y'l, 1969 F. E.;M-ORELAND 3,452,696 METHOD AND APPARATUS FORTRANSF'ERRING PERSONNEL BETWEEN v SUBMERGED BODIES Filed Sept. 5. 1967 She et 2 of 2 g Q \X 5 IO N t 8 rs 63 O m $3 a INVENTOR. FLOYD E. MORELAND ATTORNE United States Patent US. Cl. 11416.8 5 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The subject disclosure concerns a method and apparatus for transferring personnel between two submerged sea vessels or between a submerged sea vessel and a submerged sea station. A connecting traversable passageway is established between two submerged bodies by a receptacle that is formed in one body and a complementary plug that projects outwardly from the other body. The plug and receptacle are maintained in a watertight sealing arrangement by means of spaced annular inflated pneumatic tubes on the outer peripheral surface of the plug which are accommodated in spaced annular grooves in the receptacle.

The present invention relates particularly to a system to facilitate transfer of personnel from one vessel to a deepsubmerged station or to rescue personnel from a sunken vessel.

Presently, there is a great military and scientific need for a transfer system which can operate at considerable depths. The best device in use today is a diving bell called the McCann cylinder. During rescue operations, for example, the cylinder winches itself down from the surface on a cable to the disabled vessel where it must be sealed to the vessels escape hatch. The sealing nearly alway requires diver assistance, whose diving depth is about 500 feet. Therefore, the maximum depth with the McCann cylinder is for all practical purposes seriously limited for rescue operations In addition, any system requiring a knife edge-gasket watertight seal or metal to metal contact involves severe tolerances to meet the demands of highpressure operation.

Accordingly, it is a principal object of this invention, to provide an improved method and means for sealing a submerged vessel to a sunken vessel or deep sea station at depths greater than 500 feet and without assistance from the exterior of the submerged vessel.

In accordance with a present preferred form of the invention, a submerged vessel, either for transferring personnel to a deep sea station or for rescuing personnel from a sunken vessel, having a substantially cylindrical shaped plug-like projection extending from its outer hull surface is brought into close proximity with a second submerged body. The inner end of the plug channel is closed to the sea by means of a watertight door and has a plurality of spaced annular pneumatic tubes fixedly mounted around its outer periphery.

The sunken vessel or submerged station, from or to which personnel are to be transferred, is provided with a mating receptacle which has complementary annular grooves provided around its inner periphery to receive the pneumatic tubes of said plug. Inflation of said tubes provide an effective watertight seal. The receptacle is initially kept watertight by a removable seal on its outer end and a watertight door on its inner end.

After the outer seal is removed, and insertion of the plug with the receptacle is accomplished a watertight passageway is provided between the two submerged bodies 3,452,696 Patented July 1, 1969 by inflating the pneumatic tubes and sealing the two coacting channels.

A better understanding of the invention may be had by recourse to the following description, which description should be considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

' FIGURE 1 is a diagrammatic representation of two submerged bodies embodying the invention with certain elements sectioned to show essential details; and

FIGURES 2a and 2b illustrate a modification of the embodiment of FIGURE 1.

The invention may be more fully understood by recourse to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals apply to like parts throughout. Referring now to FIG. 1 of the drawings, a submerged vessel 10 is shown in close proximity to a sunken vessel or submerged station 11. The vessel 10 can be a miniature submarine, for example, or any deep-diving submersible vessel which can be accurately maneuvered.

A cylindrical plug-like projection 12 extends outwardly from the outer shell or hull surface of the vessel 10 and tapers inwardly slightly as at 12a in a manner which will be more apparent hereinafter. A watertight compartment door or closure 13 seals the inner end of the projection 12 and prevents sea water from entering the vessel 10. The outer extremity of the projection 12 is preferably cylindrical in contour as at 12b.

A plurality of normally deflated annular pneumatic tubes 14, three of which are shown in the drawing, are securely mounted around the outer periphery of the cylindrical portion of the projection 12. The tubes 14 are installed flush with the outer surface of the projection 12 and are spaced a predetermined distance from each other. The tubes 14 have a large expansion capability and are inflated from within the vessel 10 by means of gas bottles, or any other suitable conventional means.

The sunken vessel or submerged station 11 is provided with a hollow receptacle which extends inwardly from the outer shell and communicates with the interior of the vessel 11.

The inner end of the receptacle channel 15 is closed to the interior of the body 11 by a watertight compartment door or closure 16. The outer end or entranceway of channel 15, which is exposed to the sea, is provided with an outer seal 17 which is a strong plate lightly seal welded in place to furnish strength, watertight integrity and fairwater.

The outer extremity of the receptacle 15 tapers outwardly slightly as at 15a so as to receive the inwardly tapered portion of the projection 12 in a manner which will be more apparent hereinafter. The cylindrical portion 15b of the receptacle 15 includes a plurality of spaced annular grooves 18, three of which are shown in the drawing, provided around its inner periphery. The grooves 18 are designed and machined to provide good seating surfaces during the docking operation for the pneumatic tubes 14 when they are inflated.

A plurality of explosive charges 19, two of which are shown in the drawing, are positioned at opposite points around the periphery of the outer seal 17. The charges may be initiated by any conventional mechanical or electrical detonator from within the body 11, and contain a suflicient amount of charge to remove or blow away the outer seal 17 without causing damage to the receptacle 15.

In operation the submerged vessel 10 locates the sunken vessel or submerged station 11 and positions itself in close proximity thereto.

The explosives 19 are then initiated so as to blow off the outer seal 17 and expose the cylindrical entranceway to the receptacle 15. To facilitate removal of the outer seal 17 and to insure that the explosive charges 19 cause no damage to the receptacle channel 15, a stress raiser such as a sharp corner or edge is preferably designed and employed at the desired break away surface of the outer seal.

The vessel is now moved into position so as to insert the plug-like projection 12 into the receptacle 15 on vessel 11. The tapered section 15a of the receptacle channel provides a large target for docking the vessel 10, even though visibility may be poor. In addition, the tapered sections 12a and 1511 provide guidance during the docking step and positive positioning and sealing for the tubes 14 in the complementary grooves 18.

Once insertion has been completed, the sea water which is now contained in the mated channels, is removed in any suitable conventional manner. While the sea water removal is being carried out, the sealing step is begun by introducing gas into the pneumatic tubes 14. The tubes 14, when inflated and fully pressurized, form a plurality of watertight tube-groove seals. A connecting watertight traversable passageway is now completed.

By opening compartment doors 13 and 16, access may be had to the passageway from either submerged body and personnel can be transferred from or to either body. After completion of the transfer, both compartment doors are closed and the pneumatic tubes are deflated to break the watertight seal so that the vessel 10 may disengage itself from the vessel or station 11 and resurface.

Referring now to FIG. 2 of the drawings, a modification of the preferred embodiment of the invention is shown for use where no assistance can be expected from the personnel in the sunken vessel or submerged station 11.

A recessed cavity is formed in the outer seal 17. A flush cover plate 21 is hinged to the vessel 11, as shown, to provide an enclosure in the cavity for a suitable mechanism for initiating the explosive charges 19. A spring mechanism 22, biases the cover plate 21 toward its open position (FIG. 2a). The cover plate 21 is normally maintained in its closed position (FIG. 2b) by an electromagnetic latch 23 to provide a fairwater for the cavity 20. Although a spring bias mechanism 22 and an electromagnetic latch 23 are disclosed herein, it is to be understood that any suitable hinge or latching means may be used without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.

A U-shaped pull hoop 24 is pivotabiy mounted on a projection that extends outwardly into the cavity 20. The pivotal connection between the hoop 24 and the projection 25' is biased toward an intermediate position within the projection 25' by the diametrically opposed recoil springs 25. The movable hoop-projection pivoted connection is coupled to suitable detonating mechanisms for the charges 19 by the cables or the like 26.

A mechanical manipulator 27 is attached to the vessel 10 and is controllable by personnel from within the vessel. The manipulator 27 comprises an arm element 28 which has translational and rotational capability. A hand element comprises a thumb-like electromagnet 29 and a hooked finger 30, and is capable of moving through an arc of 90 to 120.

In operation the submerged vessel 10 positions itself in close proximity to the submerged body -11. Assuming that personnel in vessel 11 are disabled and the explosive charges 19 cannot be initiated from within, the manipulator 27 is then activated and controlled by personnel from within the vessel 10. The electromagnetic thumb 29 is brought into intimate contact with the cover plate 21 which is then pulled away from the housing 20 until the resistance presented by the magnetic latch 23 is overcome. The magnetic connection between the thumb and the plate having been broken, the spring bias means 22 then maintains the plate in its open position.

The thumb 29 is then brought into intimate contact with the pull hoop 24. The hand is raised through an are of approximately so that the hooked finger 30 engages the pull hoop 24 at the and opopsite its pivot point.

The manipulator 27 is then drawn away from the submerged body 11 drawing with it the hoop 24 and the cable 26 causing the detonating the of the explosive charges 19.

The recoil springs 25 provide recoil dampening for the manipulator 27 when the outer seal 17 is blown off. The springs 25 absorb most of the shock associated with the explosion to protect the manipulator from damage so that it may be used in further operations.

Once the outer seal is removed the operation of the system is the same as that described for FIG. 1, and as a result need not be repeated.

The significant aspects of the transfer system of the present invention include the plug and receptacle channels 12 and 15, the pneumatic tubes and grooves 14 and 18 and the reusable watertight seal provided thereby. Obviously many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in the light of the above teachings, as for example, on submerged stations, the outer seal 17 may readily be replaced by a hinged reusable hatch or door, thereby also eliminating the need for explosive charges.

I claim:

1. In apparatus for providing a traversable passageway between a pair of submerged sea vessels:

(a) a cylindrical plug-like projection that extends outwardly from the outer shell of one vessel;

(b) a complementary cylindrical receptacle which extends inwardly into the interior of the other vessel;

(c) a watertight plate lightly seal welded to the outer shell of the other vessel adjacent the outer'end of the cylindrical receptacle;

(d) watertight closure means disposed between the interior of the one vessel and the inner end of the cylindrical plug-like projection;

(e) watertight closure means disposed between the interior of the other vessel and the inner end of the cylindrical receptacle;

(f) and pneumatic means for sealing the interconnection between the projection and the receptacle when the one vessel is maneuvered so as to position said projection within said complementary receptacle in the other vessel.

2. The apparatus substantially as described in claim 1, wherein a plurality of explosive charges are provided on said other vessel which blow oil the watertight plate when the docking operation is to be performed.

3. The apparatus as substantially described in claim 2, wherein the explosive charges are initiated by a firing mechanism that includes a pull hoop on the other vessel and wherein the one vessel includes a mechanical manipulator which is adapted to engage the pull hoop and detonate the charges.

4. A method of providing a traversable passageway between a pair of submerged sea vessels, which comprises;

(a) removing a lightly seal welded watertight plate from the outer end of a cylindrical receptacle 'which extends inwardly into the interior of one of said sea vessels so as to provide an entranceway thereto;

(b) maneuvering the other of said sea vessels into close proximity with the one vessel so as to insert a complementary cylindrical plug-like projection which extends outwardly from the other of said sea vessels and communicates with the interior thereof into said cylindrical receptacle;

(0) pneumatically sealing the interconnection between the projection and the receptacle to provide a watertight enclosure;

((1) and opening watertight doors disposed between the interiors of the vessels and the inner end of the projection and receptacle respectively.

5. In apparatus for providing a traversable passageway between a pair of submerged sea vessels:

(a) a cylindrical plug-like projection that extends outwardly from the outer shell of one vessel;

(b) a complementary cylindrical receptacle which extends inwardly into the interior of the other vessel;

(0) watertight closure means disposed between the interior of the one vessel and the inner end of the cylindrical plug-like projection;

(d) Watertight closure means disposed between the interior of the other vessel and the inner end of the cylindrical receptacle;

(e) and sealing means including a plurality of spaced annular pneumatic tubes mounted on the plug-like projection and a plurality of complementary spaced References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,077,477 4/1937 Hellman 114-16.8 2,102,626 12/1937 Justus 114-16.8 2,303,831 12/1942 Ferro 114-16.7 3,032,835 5/1962 Saar et a1 1l416.6 X

'FRYGVE M. BLIX, Primary Examiner. 

